


Instinct, With Better Light

by spookyawards_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Episode: s04e05 The Field Where I Died, Friendship, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-02-11
Updated: 2004-02-11
Packaged: 2019-04-27 18:45:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14431818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyawards_archivist/pseuds/spookyawards_archivist
Summary: Reincarnation is just "Monday," on a grander scale.





	Instinct, With Better Light

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Spooky Awards](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Spooky_Awards), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [SpookyAwards' collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/spookyawards/profile).

TITLE: Instinct, With Better Light  
AUTHOR: stellar_dust  
WEBSITE: <http://katycat.net/xfiles_temp> SPOILERS: post-The Field Where I Died  
NOTES: Written for a challenge; see elements at end FEEDBACK: Please!  
ARCHIVE: Sure, wherever.  
**RATING: PG**  
DISCLAIMER: Every word in here is mine, except "Mulder," "Scully," and "Melissa Riedal-Ephesian." Those are Fox's. SUMMARY: Reincarnation is just "Monday," on a grander scale. 

* * *

"Mulder?" 

"Mulder, we're finished here, right on schedule. Are you ready to go?" 

"Mulder...? Are you all right?" 

"What ..? Oh, Scully. Yeah, I'll .. I'll be right there." 

"Mulder, are you sure you're okay? ... It's just, you've had a lot to digest on this case, and you've been standing here alone in the sunshine for the past two hours. You didn't even hear me calling. You're worrying me." 

"It's a monstrous cruel fate, Scully. Violently separated, every lifetime, for countless ages ... and again today. Why? What plan could there possibly be in this?" 

"Well ... Mulder, I ... I'm not saying that I believe in this reincarnation story, but if it's true ... What if there's a reason for it? What if ... what if you and the, the diaphanous soul that was Melissa Riedal-Ephesian are, are doomed to repeat this endless circle of love, death, rebirth, and love .. not because it's meant to be that way, but because it isn't meant to be?" 

" ... What are you saying, Scully?" 

"I'm saying that ... well, what if you both keep living the same painful, doomed story, over and over, because it isn't the right choice? What if it'll continue for eternity, until in some lifetime, you make a drastic change, and you get it right? ... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be ... I'll go back inside." 

"No, Scully, wait! Stay for a while. I want to talk about this. ... Yes, I really do. When I was remembering all of these past lives, what struck me most was the intense bond of love between the two of us. There were countless more that I didn't talk about ... stretching back hundreds of years, Scully ... all full of such incredible, boundless love. But each of them ended with anguish just as strong." 

"I could see that in your face." 

"Ten years here, twenty there, then five, the next time, only a month. And when it ends, as it always does, too soon, there's always such pain .. for awhile, the knowledge that we'd have that short time, those chance encounters, next time, was enough, but now ... my soul is tired. So tired ... " 

"Mulder .. Mulder, I don't want that for you. You deserve some rest, some peace." 

"I want that so badly, Scully. I think you might be right; about needing a big change, to break the cycle ... I think maybe Melissa knew it, too." 

"... You weren't in love with her, in this life." 

"No .. no, I wasn't. If we'd met under different circumstances, ... maybe I could have been. But you're right, I wasn't." 

"She wasn't in love with you, either." 

"No. But she wanted to believe." 

"And I'm not your father, or your sergeant." 

"No ... you're my partner." 

"And I always will be, Mulder." 

"Scully, do you know who owns this field?" 

"Now that the cultists are all dead? Well, I, I don't know, I suppose the property would revert to the state. Why?" 

"I'd like to plant some roses here. For - well, for old lives' sake." 

"I think that can be arranged. ... Come on, let's go home." 

Fin. 

xxxxxx 

For the Haven's "Talk To Me in 700 words or less" Challenge 

533 Words 

It MUST take place during or right after: Ice  
Grotesque  
How the Ghosts Stole Christmas  
Humbug  
Tithonus  
_The Field Where I Died_  
Kill Switch  
Young At Heart 

You must use ANY FIVE of the following words: _sunshine_  
leather  
congratulations  
Bermuda onions  
attic  
_roses_  
_monstrous_  
_schedule_  
snoring  
_diaphanous_

This is my first Haven fic, and it gave me a chance to write the post-TFWID story that I've had in mind for awhile. Hurray!   
  


#### If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to stellar_dust


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